Volunteers keen to preserve Benalla's immigration history say this month's council elections could be a final chance to advance their cause.
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Benalla Migrant Camp members have been contacting candidates to gauge their views, and have endorsed some people via the group's Facebook page.
Group chair Sabine Smyth said an initial approach from Justin King, a former mayor now running again, encouraged her to take this action.
"We're having a go and we're hopeful, it's such an important part of history," she said.
"We're looking in a way at this election as a last attempt to, for us as a group anyway, to garner some support for the migrant camp preservation."
Benalla Migrant Camp, which housed 60,000 migrants between 1949 and 1967, gained Heritage Victoria listing in 2016.
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"The gifting has just shown us that once the site is split into so many different owners, making anything happen with the site as a precinct is not going to happen while the current opinions reign," Mrs Smyth said.
Mr King, who was mayor when the heritage listing occurred, said Benalla Migrant Camp was an important part of the town's history.
"Reaching out to Sabine was about 'How are things going? What can I do if elected to help continue the great work that you're doing?'," he said.
The candidate said he was aware of various frustrations around the issue and if elected would seek further advice to understand the council's situation better.
"I think there needs to be some dialogue on how we progress forward," Mr King said.
"For me it's about wanting to play a role in helping to bring people together, to understand what's happening but look at a pathway forward."
Mrs Smyth said in the past year, her group had developed its website and worked on a series of interpretative signs that would allow camp visitors to take a self-guided heritage walk.
"We've written to the council staff and they have agreed to meet with us next week and walk the site and see where that signage might go," she said.
"So we're cautiously hopeful that will at least go ahead because it will allow people to get a feeling of the site heritage."
Benalla Council, which is in caretaker mode for the election period, was contacted for comment.
